Method of establishing interpersonal relations, and suitable device to implement such a method

ABSTRACT

A method of establishing interpersonal relations comprises emission by a first user of an availability signal, reception of a correlation signal by a potential conversation partner, and establishment of a mutual assent for a meeting between the first user and the potential conversation partner; the step of establishing the mutual assent comprises a sub-step of determining a margin time for the reply within which the correlation signal can be received by the transceiver device of the first user

The present invention relates to a method of establishing interpersonalrelations, and in particular first meetings between two or more users ofa device allowing the method to be put into practice.

It is known that finding new friends or establishing sentimentalrelations between unknown persons is often made difficult by shynessand/or by the fact that it is not possible to know beforehand withcertitude whether a given “new” person wishes to get in contact withother persons or not.

In order to help search and contact among people that typically can befound in social/public circles such as bars, discotheques and others,different types of electronic devices have been conceived the task ofwhich is exactly that of helping in identifying an individual (of anysex) that, within a given social circle, is disposed to make friends ormeet people, and which can even be able to find individuals having givencultural and/or aesthetic and/or physical preferences and so on. Forinstance, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,016 it is known a “signalling systemfor interpersonal introduction” consisting of a transmitter and a seriesof receivers (owned by different persons, respectively) in which anyonewho wishes to “express” his/her preferences, inputs suitable commands onthe transmitter and sends them to all the receivers present and, amongthe latter, only those that have been set on the same “preferences”accept transmission and send a reply signal. In this known technique, auser receiving a message can leave an automatic reply or manuallyoperate his/her transponder after receiving a “compatible” signal.

This first known embodiment, while being rather refined from the pointof view of the ability to identify a so-called “compatible partner”,also has some drawbacks.

In fact, the great structural complexity of each receiver-transmitter(in the following “transceiver”) involves important manufacturing andsale costs, that are not adapted to promote spreading of the articleitself (that should be mainly used by adolescent or young people, thattherefore do not have a particular financial independence). At the sametime, the modalities to be adopted by each user of this known device toenter the respective personal preferences greatly reduce the degree ofuser friendliness, and from a strictly technical point of view it is tobe pointed out that in order to be able to communicate properly, twodevices must be able to establish a free “sight line” between them,which practically forces the users themselves to eliminate thepossibility of remaining anonymous still before being able to receive asignal from a “compatible” person. It is further to be noted that inthis system of known type, the recognition or identification conditionand therefore the “agreement condition to interpersonal communication”relies on transceiver devices that emit signalling in an automaticmanner and out of the true (instantaneous!) will of the users.

To eliminate part of the above mentioned drawbacks, the Applicant hasconceived a different method for interpersonal communications which isbased on at least one pair of transceiver devices (each of which isassociated with a user); these devices comprise means for transmitting asignal to, and means for receiving a signal from another device, as wellas means adapted to establish a simultaneous agreement or assent givenby the users (and not as in the above described example, an agreementestablished in an automatic manner by the devices themselves). In otherwords, in this embodiment of the Applicant the transceiver devices aremuch simpler and cheaper (as they do not necessarily store and/ortransmit qualitative signals, but they only send a “presence” signal inan environment), and in addition the true putting into effect of thesituation of “mutual acquaintance” takes place only if both users,exactly at that given time instant, have operated the“simultaneous-assent means”, therefore acting of their own will, and notbeing dependent on default settings.

The last-mentioned invention too is not however without drawbacks, whichdrawbacks are mainly connected with the fact that while on the one handthe great structural and functional simplification enables a drasticreduction in costs (and therefore promotes spreading of the devicesamong the public, and also makes their use very simple), the necessityto operate each of the two devices simultaneously greatly reduces thepossibility of really giving rise to a meeting between two or morepersons. It is to be noted in this respect that the “simultaneousassent” involves that the two users engaged in the process must operatethe simultaneous assent means at least for the time required fortransmitting their own signal and, at the same time, for the timenecessary to receive the other people's signal; in other words, thismeans that two or more persons that are in the same social circle mayfeel interest in each other but, even if they utilise the Applicant'sinvention, they are not sure they will succeed in getting in contactwith each other.

The Applicant has therefore developed a further method of interpersonalcommunications duly based on an assembly of at least two transceiverdevices and aiming at solving the above described drawbacks.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to implement amethod enabling to combine the requirement of establishing aninterpersonal relation in an optimal manner with at least one “unknown”person, with the requirement of remaining anonymous as far as thecertitude exists of having really identified a person who has provedhis/her intention to accept approaches.

The technical task mentioned and the aims specified are substantiallyachieved by a method of establishing interpersonal communications and bya device usable for implementing said method, having the featuresrecited in one or more of the appended claims.

Description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of a methodin accordance with the invention and a device usable in said method isnow given hereinafter by way of non-limiting example. The device isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a pair of devices in accordance with theinvention, located in the same environment.

The method of interpersonal communications implemented by the presentinvention is essentially based on emission by a first user of anavailability signal; this availability signal is generated by a firsttransceiver device 1 a and is spread in an environment or social circlein which at least another user is present (who in turn will be providedwith a similar device that for the sake of clarity will be identified asthe “second device” and denoted with 1 b in the figure).

The availability signal sent by the first device 1 a is received by thesecond device (or more generally, it can be received by all devices 1present in that social circle or environment, if it is an“omni-directional” signal), and at this point it is possible for thefirst user who has started the intercommunication process, to receive acorrelation signal from a potential conversation partner; to the ends ofthe present invention for “potential conversation partner” it isintended a person that is in the same social circle as the first user,is provided with a device 1 and has received the availability signal.

On receiving the correlation signal, it is possible to establish amutual assent to the meeting between the first user and the potentialconversation partner, and in the same manner as in the preceding patentin the name of the Applicant, this condition of establishing the mutualassent preferably takes place through simultaneous signalling on bothtransceiver devices 1 a and 1 b associated with the first user and thepotential conversation partner, respectively.

Advantageously, the step of establishing the mutual agreement comprisesa sub-step of determining a margin time for the reply during which thecorrelation signal can be received from the first transceiver device 1 aof the first user.

Now it is to be noted that, unlike known devices, the present inventionis not based on the automatic establishment (and simultaneous signallingon both the intercommunicating devices) of the agreement on the part ofthe electronics of the individual devices, neither is it operativelylimited by the requirement of acting personally and at the same timeinstant on the devices themselves.

On the contrary, the present invention is based on the fact that eachuser is put in a condition to exploit a “time window” within whichhe/she can decide on his/her own initiative, to reply to an availabilitysignal; in this way, the agreement to the contact is given by the userof his/her own will, the user being in any case put in a position to“know in advance” that someone in his/her social circle is looking forinterpersonal relations and, by carrying out a simple reply action,he/she is unequivocally brought to a condition to reply only to theperson who has sent the availability signal.

A sequence of the operations of the method in accordance with theinvention, given by way of example, contemplates the following steps:

-   -   emitting by a first user, an availability signal through a first        transceiver device 1 a;    -   counting a predetermined waiting time during which the first        device 1 a is enabled to receive at least one correlation        signal;    -   if during this waiting time the first device 1 a receives a        correlation signal (by a second transceiver device 1 b), a        condition of agreement to the contact by a potential conversion        partner is notified at least to the first user.

In addition, if the correlation signal is received within the waitingtime, it is also possible to send a confirmation signal to the secondtransceiver device 1 b itself.

In turn, sending of the confirmation signal by the first transceiverdevice 1 a can be automatic (and can take place simultaneously with orimmediately after reception of the correlation signal), or it can besubordinated to manual and voluntary operation of the device itself bythe user.

It is to be noted that at all events sending of the confirmation signalmay not correspond or be coincident with the notification of thecondition of agreement to the contact, but it is used to prepare bothdevices (the one that has sent the confirmation signal and the one thathas received it) to a possible accomplishment of the agreement that, asseen, is given at the moment chosen by at least one user.

In other words, sending of the confirmation signal enables the seconddevice 1 b too (and therefore the user of the second device that fromthe first user's point of view is then the so-called “potentialconversion partner”) to recognise a condition of possible mutual meetingand/or acquaintance.

Sending of the confirmation signal therefore can be followed by anotification to each user of a condition at which both the concernedpersons are aware of the fact that someone else has made an attempt toget in contact with them.

In more detail, emission of the confirmation signal can be preceded bythe following operating sub-steps:

-   -   the occurred reception of the compatibility signal is signalled        to the first device 1 a, in use to the first user (and at this        point the two devices of the two users have communicated with        each other but not yet emitted any notification to the        respective proprietors);    -   a limit time for the reply starting from reception of the        compatibility signal is counted at least on the device that has        received the confirmation signal (and that was the first to send        the availability signal at the beginning of the whole process);    -   at this point the first user decides whether he/she will        manually send the confirmation signal within expiry of the above        mentioned limit time for the reply.

In the different embodiments described above (and therefore irrespectiveof the confirmation signal being sent), the present method can come toand end with a notification step on both transceiver devices 1 a and 1 bthat a condition of mutual assent and/or compatibility between the firstuser and the potential conversation partner has been reached; thisnotification can be directed at least to the first user and preferablycan be also directed to the potential conversation partner, at the sametime or at a different time depending on current requirements.

According to the technical means that can be installed in device 1, thisnotification can take place through suitable visual and/or audibleand/or luminous and/or vibrating interfaces.

For more accuracy in operation, the present method can advantageouslyfurther comprise sending of an identification information at least fromthe first user to the potential conversation partner and/or from thepotential conversation partner to the first user; this operating step issubstantially coincident with the step of transmitting the compatibilitysignal, while sending of the identification information from thepotential conversation partner to the first user is preferablycoincident with said step of receiving the correlation signal.

In short, this identification information from the first user to thepotential conversation partner allows recognition of the device that,among a great number of them, has really emitted an availability signaland therefore prevents the device owned by the potential conversationpartner from being put “in contact” with possible other devices that arepresent in the same social circle but have not been operated.

It is to be noted that in accordance with the invention thisidentification information will not be made known to each of the twosubjects engaged in the process but they will be only internallyprocessed by the transceiver devices; to this end, in an embodiment ofthe present method it is provided that the identification informationshould consist of a possibly coded and/or encrypted alphameric code thatis unequivocally allocated to a given device 1.

Still for the purpose of being able to distinguish various “replies”that can come from as many potential “conversation partners”, thepresent method can further comprise a step of chronological indexing ofsequences of signals received from at least one second device 1 b.

Consistently with that which has been said beforehand, these receivedsignals may comprise either the already mentioned correlation signals(that are emitted from at least one second device 1 b by a voluntarypotential conversation partner and that advantageously can carry thealready mentioned alphameric identification code unequivocallyassociated with a given transceiver device 1), or specific “receptionnotices”.

These particular “reception notices” are automatically emitted from atleast one second device 1 b in reply to emission of an availabilitysignal (or better, in reply to the occurred reception by the seconddevice 1 b itself); in other words, the present method can furthercomprise a step of sending a reception notice which is generated onoccurrence of the true reception of the availability signal andtherefore automatically comes from the second device 1 b, being finallyreceived (still in an automatic manner) by the first device 1 a.

Due to implementation of the reception notices, it is also possible togo on carrying out the method only in those cases in which theavailability signal has really reached a “target” device, thus avoidinga useless waste of resources.

The indexing step substantially comprises a first sub-step of storing anidentification code coming from a second device 1 b (which in turn willbe able to be conveniently carried by means of a correlation signal orthe already mentioned reception notice), and a subsequent sub-step ofallocating the identification code to a memory area; this memory areawill correspond to a given ordinal number so that an informationconnection is carried out between the time succession of the receivedsignals.

It is to be noted that by virtue of said indexing, it is possible tokeep a trace of the potential contacts; in fact, if the first user emitsa given number of signals and receives the same or a different number ofcorrelation signals in reply (or also only of reception notices!),he/she all the same has at his/her disposal, information useful toestablish potential interpersonal contacts and he/she may even come to“discover” who among the different potential conversation partners hassignalled his/her availability.

Conveniently, the present method can also comprise a step of counting anumber of availability signals emitted and/or a number of correlationsignals received; this counting step can be further followed by a stepof displaying this number to the user of device 1 (through a suitableinterface such as an LCD panel or a series of light emitting diodes orLEDs).

In order to increase easiness of mutual contact between the two users,above all when the social circle is particularly crowded or directconversations are particularly difficult therein, the present method mayfurther comprises a step of sending qualitative and/or numeric data atleast from the first user to the potential conversation partner; sendingof this qualitative and/or numeric data is conditional and preferablycoincident with the step of establishing the mutual assent and thereforedoes not allow either user (the first user and the potentialconversation partner) to accede to the data itself until occurrence ofthe condition of mutual assent to the contact.

Depending on current requirements, the contents of this qualitativeand/or numeric data can be of any kind and of any intelligible form(text strings, voice messages, graphic elements); typically, in apreferred embodiment of the present invention it will be a telephonenumber.

Finally, with reference to the limit time for the reply characterisingthe present method, it is possible to provide a step of cancelling thereceived signals and/or the identification information on expiry of saidtime limit for the reply; in this manner, if the first user and/or thepotential conversation partner within the established time do not wishto go on any further in establishing a real and true interpersonalcontact, the data relating to the “preliminary steps” of the method(that are managed in an independent manner by the electronics of thedevices into play!) are eliminated as they are clearly useless forsubsequent operation of the devices themselves.

It is also an object of the present invention a transceiver device 1usable in the method herein described and claimed in the followingclaims.

With reference to the drawings, a device 1 usable in the above describedmethod substantially comprises transmission means 2 adapted to emit anavailability signal, reception means adapted to receive an availabilitysignal from at least one analogous device (e.g., the second device 1 bdiscussed during description of the method) located in the sameenvironment, and/or a correlation signal from a potential conversationpartner, and in addition signalling means adapted to notify a mutualagreement or assent condition to a meeting between the first user andthe potential conversation partner.

Advantageously, this device 1 comprises counting means to calculate amargin time for the reply, which means is operatively active on thetransmission means and/or the reception means and/or the signallingmeans so that they are configured in a reversible manner between anenable condition at which they can transmit and/or receive and/or notifysaid mutual assent and a condition of interruption at which on thecontrary they cannot be operated.

Conveniently, operability of the device is ensured by a suitableinterface 6 operable by the first user and/or the possible conversationpartner; this interface can consist of a button or at all events of anyother operating device presently available.

In other words, the counting means quantifies a maximum time, to be setin an arbitrary manner depending on the user's requirements or merelyestablished on assembling of the device, within which the device itselfcan really notify the assent condition to contact. As already explained,this reply time can be calculated either starting from emission of anavailability signal or starting from reception of a confirmation signal.

It is to be noted that, in order to ensure the use repeatability of thedevice in accordance with the present invention, on expiry of the replytime the device can be in any case configured to the enable condition,so as to enable the user to send a new availability signal.

In addition, in order to ensure an efficient signal transmission, thetransmission means can utilise different technologies presentlyavailable (transmission via radio and/or infrared rays or other) and atthe same time suitable storage elements can be mounted within thedevices themselves which are adapted to store the identification codesof the devices themselves and/or the numeric/personal data of a user.

It is finally to be pointed out that, depending on current requirements,the devices 1 usable in the present invention can be such constructedthat they are independent and separate items or can be inserted or evenintegrated into complex items (such as palm computers or mobile phones).

In order to optimise the energy consumption of the device 1, on/offmeans may be present which can be activated on the electric/electroniccircuitry of device 1.

The invention achieves many advantages.

In fact, due to the particular construction architecture of device 1,the manufacturing costs are very low even when the device is integratedinto the onboard electronics of more complex devices (such as palmcomputers and/or mobile phones and so on), and at the same time anoptimal result in terms of “establishment of the communication” can beensured with a minimum degree of qualitative and quantitative complexityof the transmitted signal.

At the same time it will be appreciated that a suitable choice of thetransmission means makes it possible to operate the devices 1 also from“concealed” positions (such as at the inside of garment pockets orbags), which will give a further guarantee of anonymity to the users.

In addition, due to the above described implementation forms, each ofthe two users involved in trying to find a situation of mutualcommunication can have a time margin within which, depending on his/herwill, can give his/her assent to communication without necessarilylosing the trace of an occurred request of communication and thereforewithout losing the possibility of getting in contact with the otheruser.

Finally, it will be recognised that the present invention can be usedwith great facility by any user, since previous complicated programmingoperations are not present and the interface through which the usermakes device 1 operational is very simple.

1. A method of establishing interpersonal communications between atleast two users, comprising the following steps: emitting anavailability signal by a first user, by means of a first transceiverdevice (1 a) in an environment or social circle in which at leastanother user is present; receiving a correlation signal by a potentialconversation partner, said potential conversation partner havingreceived said availability signal through a second transceiver device (1b); and establishing a mutual agreement or assent to a meeting betweensaid first user and potential conversation partner, said condition ofestablishing the mutual assent preferably taking place throughsimultaneous signalling on both transceiver devices (1 a, 1 b)associated with the first user and the potential conversation partner,respectively, characterised in that said step of establishing the mutualassent comprises a sub-step of determining a margin time for the replywithin which said correlation signal can be received by the firsttransceiver device (1 a) of the first user.
 2. A method as claimed inclaim 1, comprising the following steps: emitting an availability signalby a first user, by means of a first transceiver device (1 a); countinga predetermined waiting time within which said first device (1 a) isenabled to receive at least one correlation signal; conditionally onreceiving a correlation signal by a second transceiver device (1 b)within said waiting time, notifying to the first user, an agreementcondition to contact on the part of a potential conversation partner. 3.A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that it furthercomprises a step of sending a confirmation signal to the secondtransceiver device (1 b), said sending of the confirmation signal beingpreferably conditional on reception of the correlation signal.
 4. Amethod as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that said step of sendingthe confirmation signal is carried out automatically by the firsttransceiver device (1 a), preferably simultaneously with or immediatelyafter reception of the correlation signal.
 5. A method as claimed inclaim 3, characterised in that said step of sending the confirmationsignal comprises the following sub-steps: signalling the occurredreception of the compatibility signal to the first user; counting alimit time for the reply starting from reception of the compatibilitysignal; manually sending the confirmation signal, on the part of thefirst user, within expiry of said limit time for the reply.
 6. A methodas claimed in claim 1, characterised in that it further comprises a stepof notifying a condition of mutual assent and/or compatibility betweenthe first user and the potential conversation partner on both thetransceiver devices (1 a, 1 b).
 7. A method as claimed in claim 1,characterised in that it further comprises sending of identificationinformation at least from the first user to the potential conversationpartner and/or from the potential conversation partner to the firstuser.
 8. A method as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that sendingof said identification information is substantially coincident with saidstep of transmitting the compatibility signal or with said step ofreceiving the correlation signal.
 9. A method as claimed in claim 1,characterised in that it further comprises a step of chronologicallyindexing sequences of signals received from at least one second device(1 b), said received signals preferably comprising reception noticesautomatically emitted from at least one second device (1 b) in reply toemission of an availability signal and/or preferably comprisingcorrelation signals emitted from at least one second device (1 b) byvoluntary action of a potential conversation partner.
 10. A method asclaimed in claim 9, characterised in that said indexing step comprisesthe following substeps: a sub-step of storing an identification codecoming from a second device (1 b), said identification code beingpreferably carried by a correlation signal; and a sub-step of allocatingsaid identification code to a memory area, said memory areacorresponding to a predetermined ordinal number.
 11. A method as claimedin claim 1, characterised in that it further comprises a step of sendingqualitative and/or numeric data at least from the first user to thepotential conversation partner, said step of sending the qualitativeand/or numeric data being conditional on, and preferably coincident withsaid step of establishing the mutual assent.
 12. A method as claimed inclaim 11, characterised in that said qualitative and/or numerical datais a telephone number.
 13. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterisedin that it comprises a step of counting a number of availability signalsemitted and/or a number of correlation signals received, the methodpreferably comprising the step of displaying this number to a user ofthe device (1).
 14. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised inthat it further comprises a step of cancelling the received signalsand/or the identification information on expiry of the limit time forthe reply.
 15. A device for interpersonal communication adapted toimplement a method as claimed in claim 1, comprising: transmission means(2) adapted to emit an availability signal; reception means (3) adaptedto receive an availability signal from at least one second device (1 b)located in the same environment and/or a correlation signal on the partof a potential conversation partner; and signalling means (4) adapted tonotify a condition of mutual assent to a meeting between said user andthe potential conversation partner, characterised in that it furthercomprises counting means (5) for calculating a margin time for thereply, which means is operatively active on the transmission means (2)and/or the reception means (3) and/or the signalling means (4) forconfiguration of same in a reversible manner between an enable conditionat which they can transmit and/or receive and/or notify said mutualassent and a condition of interruption at which on the contrary they arenot operable.